This is Watson’s new toy. It’s appropriately called the Crazy Circle. It’s perfect for insanely active kittens like our little guy who literally plays, plays, plays until he falls over and passes out. Last night he played with his Crazy Circle for so long that he fell asleep with his head resting on the side of it. This is seriously the best $10 we’ve spent on the cat so far. You can see Watson in all his hyper glory in the video above.
Erin’s YA Addiction – The May Edition
I loved Ann Brashares’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants novels. I credit those particular Young Adult titles with re-introducing me (at the grand old age of 22) to all of the fabulous creativity that can be found in the YA section of the local bookstore and library. Brashare’s most recent release, 3 Willows, is also a tale of friendship. This time between three young girls who live in the same world that we all fell in love with via the trials and tribulations of Lena, Carmen, Bridget, and Tibby. I was very hesitant to read this story initially as the girls are quite young.
The novel begins with them graduating 8th grade and proceeds to document each of their individual journeys during the summer before they enter high school. Polly is the child of a single mom who is often absent and distant and spends the summer trying desperately to mold her body into model material. Jo’s parents have succumbed to a trial separation after the death of her older brother proves to be too much of a strain on the family. Jo finds refuge at the family beach house, tries to fit in with the older girls she works with at a local restaurant, and has an eye opening fling with a manipulative boy. Straight-A student, Ama, is shocked to discover that her summer academic camp has assigned her to trudge around in the wilderness and live in a tent for weeks and weeks. Her hair products are confiscated when she gets off the plane and you honestly wonder how she’ll make it through days of hiking, blisters, and the end of term cliff repelling exercise.
At the beginning of the summer the young girls have begun to drift apart, but as the months pass each begins to think back to the true root of their friendship. A friendship that is quite literally grounded by the 3 willow tree saplings that the girls grew for a school project and planted in a nearby wooded area. When one of the friends faces a personal crisis Jo, Ama, and Polly’s bond becomes stronger than ever as they surround their friend with the support she so desperately needs. Fans of the Traveling Pants novels will be delighted to meet-up with familar faces from the original books including Tibby’s family, her boyfriend Brian, and even Lena’s snotty sister Effie. Despite the age of the characters I very much enjoyed the story and look forward to upcoming novels. It will be interesting to see how Brashares handles their aging and the requisite issues that their entrance into high school will undoubtedly introduce.
Wintergirls is quite simply a painful book. Absolutely not for the faint of heart, this gut wrenching novel explores Lia’s downward spiral into the depths of advanced anorexia. Stemming from a reckless bet with her friend Cassie, Lia makes a dangerous oath.
I took the knife out of my pocket and cut my palm, just a little. “I swear to be the skinniest girl in school, skinner than you.”
Cassie’s eyes got big as the blood pooled in my hand. She grabbed the knife and slashed her palm. “I bet I’ll be skinnier than you.”
“No, don’t make it a bet. Let’s be skinniest together.”
“Okay, but I’ll be skinner.”
Over the next few years each falls into a dangerous cycle of restricting and purging until their friendship completely falls apart. Then one night Cassie calls Lia’s cell thirty-three times. Lia never answers and Cassie is found dead in a local hotel room. What follows is an in depth look inside the mind of a desperate teenager riddled with guilt whose only coping method is to keep food as far away from her as possible. When Cassie’s “ghost” starts appearing to Lia and carrying on very maliciously toned conversations with our suffering heroine your heart will just break.
Laurie Halse Anderson captures the hopelessness, fear, and pain of Lia’s daily struggle beautifully. As a reader I found myself becoming wrapped up along with Lia’s family in the daily hope that she would please just drink the glass of proffered orange juice, or eat a spoonful of cereal, but in the end anorexia is never just about food. It’s about finding control in chaos and Lia’s story and how her life unfolds in the aftermath of Cassie’s death is handled with profound and eyeopening care. Even though this book deals with an extremely dark subject matter I feel that Wintergirls is too powerful of an experience to be missed. You’d be surprised what you can personally uncover when you strive to take a brief step out of your literary comfort zone.
When I began reading Tender Morsels my initial reaction was that I absolutely didn’t think this book should be considered a young adult novel. Rape and incest pop up in the first few pages and the tone is extremely dark and lurid, but after I came down from my momentary puritanical high horse (and let’s face it, I read every trashy V.C. Andrews novel cover to cover by the age of 12 so it was time to give up the hypocrisy) I became completely engrossed in this gorgeous and magical tale of Liga and her two daughters, Branza and Urdda.
Margo Lanagan’s whimsical retelling of the traditional fairy tale of Snow White and Rose Red bares many subtle and some not so subtle resemblance to the classic version we are familiar with. There is of course a bear, a bush, and a wicked dwarf, but there is also a strong undercurrent of deep magic that protects Liga and her little family from the evils of the past for many many years. But then curious and headstrong Urdda dares to step out into the real world where danger, evil, and adventure lurk in the shadows. Once separated from her mother and sister will she ever be reunited with them again?
I loved this novel for its realism and roughness as well as the fact that it didn’t shy away from the dirt, grime, and crime of the world. It fundamentally strives to illustrate how hiding from life and living a watered down and safe existence limits one’s chances for happiness much more so than it protects. Margo Lanagan is a true storyteller in the finest sense of the word. You won’t soon forget the worlds and characters she weaves in Tender Morsels.
The Many Faces of Watson
It’s been a long week for everyone involved in the adventures of Watson the kitten. My hands are covered in scratches and needless to say his claws have given him plenty of entries in the “This Isn’t Cute At All” column. Thankfully his rampaging play sessions are done via quick and succinct bursts of energy. Then he disappears into the office and the cozy comfort of his new bed for marathon naps until he’s rested enough to emerge and terrorize CK and I again.
He looks so sweet and serene above but don’t be fooled. Below is a glimpse of Watson’s demanding “Play With Me Now Now Now!” personality.
Elementary My Dear Watson
Yesterday morning my mom forwarded an email to me from one of her co-workers. The woman was giving away free short-haired orange kittens. Growing up I had a fabulous orange cat named Lucy so I jumped at the chance to finally make one part of the family again. Over the last year CK has been completely supportive of my desire to have a kitten. His only caveat was that I had to find the cat myself. Honestly, I don’t think he truly thought I ever would. But here we are…CK and I actually had to drive to Maine and meet my mom in a parking lot in order to successfully transfer the kitten goods. Thankfully the kitty mission was successful.
Please meet my new furry sidekick: Watson. He’s only six weeks old and I find him absolutely precious. I’m completely in love even though he woke us up to play at 5 AM. Then he spent all afternoon sleeping on my chest while I watched Little Dorrit and now he’s attacking me as I attempt to type this post. I better go pay attention to him before he completely shreds my fingers with his itty bitty claws and teeth.
My Fake Fiance
Ladies and gentleman get your TiVos ready! This Sunday, April 19th at 8:00 PM everyone’s favorite teenage witch and the guy who only says, “woah!” are starring in a cheesy romantic comedy on ABC Family. I’ll be there dutifully sitting on the couch in my pajamas with a big bowl of popcorn or maybe some cookie dough ice cream. I absolutely love this stuff!
The Easter Bunny Commeth
CK and I spent Easter in Maine with my family. I started off the festivities earlier in the week with a box of nostalgic Paas Easter egg dye and a cheapo package of white eggs from CVS. The results were less than stellar. You’d think at the grand old age of 28 I could actually make Easter Eggs that looked better than this, but apparently not.
Once in Maine we decided to test our hand at decorating. My sister Nicole and I tried our hardest, but as evidenced below icing and the finesse that such a skill requires does not run in the family. Needless to say none of this will ever make an appearance on ErinCooks. Initially my mom and I thought we were out of red food coloring so our color scheme took on a life of its own, but then we found two more boxes in the pantry. Our rainbow looks more like a Dr. Suess puddle but the cake tasted awesome and the finished product was super vibrant on the plate. You can learn how to make your own rainbow cake at Om Nom Nom.
We ended the afternoon gorging ourselves on ham and roast beef. In case you haven’t figured it out yet all we do in Maine is eat. We also rock the Fiestaware and the paper napkins.
Erin’s YA Addiction – The April Edition
I have a not-so-secret addiction to YA Novels. I used to be embarrassed to purchase books from the Young Adult section of bookstores, but not anymore. Over the last few years I’ve come to terms with my love of all things not rooted in the “grown-up” world. Besides, I live that reality every day of my life and I’d much rather escape with a narrator that houses a completely different set of issues and tribulations. A common misconception held by many readers is that YA novels are somehow lowbrow knockoffs of adult titles. This is so absolutely not the case. I can honestly say that many of the YA novels I’ve read over the years have been head and shoulders above some of the popular adult fiction that so often finds its way onto various bestseller lists and then become critical darlings. Just because 14 people in your subway car are reading the same book doesn’t mean that you have to. Below are some of the excellent YA titles I’ve read recently that I think will also serve to convince you that there’s nothing wrong with loving YA.
The Hunger Games is a brilliant character driven tale by Suzanne Collins that takes place in a distopian version of America called Panem in the not-so-distant future where a rather Shirley Jackson type lottery is held each year that forces two adolescents from each of the country’s twelve districts to compete on a vicious reality television program where only one survivor can win. And by survivor they mean you have to be alive at the end, none of this “silly” you’re voted off the island and go back to civilization and a segment on the Today Show business. These young men and women are expected to fight to their deaths under harsh conditions and artificially manufactured scenarios. In the story we follow, Katniss, a young woman from one of the poorest districts in Panem, who volunteers for the games after her younger sister’s name is drawn to be a participant. Katniss takes her sisters place and is then forced to participate in some of the most horrific mentally and physically challenging tasks one can imagine. The horrible irony of the novel is that there are several secondary characters that Katniss meets and interacts with that you will inevitably grow to love, including the endearing young baker’s son whom she grew up with, Peeta, and an intriguing young girl named Rue who will steal your heart, but The Hunger Games insist that there can be only one winner so please prepare yourself for a bit of heart wrenching grief. I found this novel to be incredibly addictive. I couldn’t put it down and honestly I’m beside myself with the thought that I have to wait until September to read the next title in the series.
Graceling is hands down the best book I’ve read in the last 6 months. I’m not generally into fantasy novels. I’ve never really cared about magical worlds with mythical creatures and dastardly bad guys riding horses to storm cold stone castles but since reading Kristin Cashore’s amazingly plotted first novel I have to say my mind has been thoroughly changed. Graceling is the story of Lady Katsa who lives under the command of her not-so-nice uncle King Randa in the kingdom of the Middluns. In the world of this novel certain individuals are born with special abilities called graces. These “gifts” range from the mundane, such as being an amazing cook, to the extreme such as being able to read minds or, as in Katsa’s case, the ability to kill. Men and women who are graced are marked by having two color eyes. Suffice to say, her henchman-like reputation precedes her and Katsa, with her stunning green and blue eyes, is both revered and feared by the people she encounters. When Katsa meets Po, a fellow graceling with whom combat skills have been bestowed upon, things start to get very interesting. It appears that not everything is as it seems in the kingdom and Po and Katsa set out on an eventful journey to uncover the truth. Long days on horses and even longer nights by the fire allow for a burgeoning romance between the two which plays off nicely with the continuous swashbuckling adventure that ensues. You will not be disappointed with this story. The prequel to Graceling, Fire, is set to be published this fall. I suggest that you get it on your pre-order list immediately. In the meantime, you can keep up with all of the author’s going ons at her blog: This is My Secret.
For all of my fellow Gossip Girl addicts I implore you to check out the Luxe novels by Anna Godbersen. The first novel opens with a quote from The Age of Innocence so I’ve always thought of these novels as Gossip Girl meets Edith Wharton, which is even more funny as Gossip Girl just recently aired an episode where our favorite Upper East Siders put on a play of The Age of Innocence. Truly escapist in nature and dripping in romance and intrigue these novels trace the daily activities of the beautiful Holland sisters, Elizabeth and Diana, and their eccentric circle of equally rich and troubled friends. Instead of chauffeured cars, Manolo Blahniks, and iPhones we have horse and buggies, Parisian seamstresses, and calling cards but the effect is still quote similar. The third title in the series, Envy, was just released in January and I’m impatiently waiting for my friend Anna to finish reading it so I can curl up in my favorite chair and devour it.
Some additional upcoming and currently available novels on my “to read” list include:
Jumping Off Swing by Jo Knowles (scheduled to be released on August 11, 2009)
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Along for the Ride by Sarah Desen (scheduled to be released on June 16, 2009)
Lotuspad Eco Yoga Mats
Completely unbeknown to me these amazing Lotuspad yoga mats have been for sale literally right down the street from me for years. I had a pretty avid yoga practice when I lived in Portland, usually doing a routine 5 days a week and alternating with weekly classes at The Yoga Center. I’ve never felt better in my life and more in shape. But when I moved to Boston in the late summer of 2005 the time I spent on yoga slowly dwindled until it became completely non-existent. My yoga mat sat in the closet collecting dust and I forced myself to try to get on the elliptical or go for a run a few times each week. Unfortunately neither of these exercises has ever made me feel the way that a vigorous yoga practice can.
Then a few weeks ago CK shared a story with me on Google Reader about how Lebron James uses yoga to give him an extra edge in his training. I took this as a not-so-subtle hint that my boyfriend was asking me to go to yoga with him. So we looked around online to find a studio we could check out. Yelp had quite a few recommendations and we finally decided to try out Om City Yoga. While perusing Yelp though we also came across some absolutely stellar reviews for a local company that makes eco-friendly yoga mats.
According to the website: Lotuspads are earth-friendly, biodegradable yoga mats with vivid saturated colors, organic dual surface patterns, and an amazing cushion and grip that will help you go deeper into your poses with comfort and style. Personally I’d like to curl up on mine and take a luxurious cat-nap all afternoon, but that would really defeat the purpose.
So far I’ve been very impressed with the mats I purchased. I picked up an “Earth” yoga mat in shades of green and brown for CK and a “Lotus” mat for myself. The Lotus mat is, of course, gorgeously bright pink. Apparently pink is said to encourage compassion. These mats are definitely thicker and much easier for me to use on our hardwood floors in the apartment. Part of the issue that I personally had with trying to start-up my home practice again was the awful wrist pain I would get from trying to hold various poses while using my old cheep mat. The quality of the Lotuspad seems to cut down on the sometimes harsh impact that I feel when I’m out of shape and hopefully this will encourage me to continue to ramp back up into a more frequent practice.
For all the moms out there you should also take note that Lotuspads makes mats for children as well. By the way, if you’re local to the Boston area you can place your order online and then have the option of picking up your mats and accessories in person at their location in Central Square. You can even connect with the founder of the company, Katy, on twitter.
I’m so incredibly excited to try to get back into yoga on a more consistent basis and I definitely owe a portion of this joy to my new Lotuspad mat. Thank you Katy!
Erin On the Oregon Trail
Author Sloane Crosley brought the The Oregon Trail game back to my attention after I read an essay from her book I Was Told There’d Be Cake. In the short story Sloane confesses to her childhood obsession with the The Oregon Trail computer game. She recounts naming characters after hated teachers and purposefully losing the game so that they would die of the dreaded Dysentery. While I don’t recall doing that in elementary school I will embarrassingly admit to locking Sims made to look like evil exes into rooms and “forgetting about them” until they turned into urns. Moving right along…
You’ve probably heard that an Oregon Trail iPhone app was released this week. I downloaded it last night and hilarity has ensued ever since. I took the liberty of naming my little pioneers after CK and myself. Tagging along with us through the great unknown are also our imaginary children: Lucy, Lola, and Little CK.
Not surprising, I’m just as much of a klutz in this iPhone app as I am in real life. During the first 5 minutes of play I got a broken arm.
My children are also prone to drama. Especially Lola. She’s been kidnapped by an eagle, lost on the trail, and currently is suffering from Dysentery. But what fun would a game of Oregon Trail be if someone didn’t end up with the runs…
Anyone want to take bets on which of my characters is going to kick the bucket first?
I decided to make an album on Flickr for my Oregon Trail Adventures. Feel free to follow along with my faithful path to doom and destruction.
Fluffy White Doggie
This is the commercial that gets me completely teary and causes various “awe-like” sounds to repeatedly come out of my mouth lately. Each time it airs during a television show I instantly stop fast-forwarding and watch it. It’s my dream puppy complete with a “please buy me Erin!” face that I just can’t resist, in a candy pink room, with a girl in cozy pajamas that is so “obviously” me. Let’s be friends puppy! Call me!
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